Lori Gallimore, Extension Specialist
Since my last article, I have received a few more questions about the 2017 4-H Portfolio changes. The answers are included in the information below. In next week’s IDEAS newsletter, I will be releasing the instructions on how to upload the portfolios to SharePoint. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to email me.
The online process is just for senior high portfolios. Junior high portfolios are handled through each regional office. Any changes to the junior high portfolio structure or submission format will come from your regional office.
I don’t know. Again, you need to check with your regional office. If you are asking (and I think you are) if the junior high portfolio will be changed to fit/flow with the senior high model, we are too early in the process to determine this. Yes, this will be ideal for all involved! BUT … while it is in the back of our minds at this point and will be considered as we make changes to the senior high portfolio model, it is not on the timeline
for completion and implementation in 2018.
I am not aware of those plans. I will find out.
The citizenship section has been given less points that leadership simply because there are only four sections to citizenship and there are five sections in leadership. If you go back and look at the old scorecards, points were assigned so that the final score turned out to be 100. In order to do this, random scoring weight was given to portfolio sections, like project plans. With project plans, for example, 4-H’ers were given 10 points for “goals set/met” and 6 points for “knowledge and skills.” Now, while this certainly helped in creating a score card in which the total points equaled 100, it was signifying to our 4-H members that writing clear, attainable goals is more important than the knowledge and skills that are learned from them.
By creating the new score card, each section is given the same weight – five points. This means that it does not matter if the final score totals 90, 100, or 132. Everyone is on an even playing field. If you are competing in citizenship, you still have to have a fantastic leadership section to “win the prize” and likewise for leadership. The rubric is helping us to move away from putting emphasis on the “number” score and helping us to better focus on the quality and content of the work.
The portfolio deadlines have not changed. February 1 is the deadline for submission of senior high citizenship and leadership portfolios into the state office. Again, you will be receiving step-by-step instructions on how to scan and upload the portfolios into SharePoint next week. May 1 is the deadline for submission of senior high main project portfolios into the state office.
To make a very, long story short, it came to my attention last year that there are actually TWO guidelines on how/what order a portfolio should be organized floating around the state. We just rolled with it last year because the portfolios were submitted in so many different ways. Ideally, we would like to receive the portfolios in the order on the checklist which are as follows:
- Tennessee 4-H Report Forms
- Project Plans
- 4-H Narrative or Resume
- Project Pictures
- Other Project Records
This means that a formal “table of contents” is not included. If you have a 4-H’er who already has a “table of contents” in his/her portfolio, by all means leave it. It does not get scored anyway. But if your 4- H’er does not have a “table of contents” as this is his/her first year to do one, then do not bother trying to create it. It is not necessary.
NOW … let’s talk about tabs. You cannot scan in tabs, obviously. It will be helpful, but again not required, if instead of tabs to separate each section, you have a page with the section title written on it and placed in between the two sections. These instructions will be discussed more next week.
Please see the instructions above regarding the order for the miscellaneous/supplemental pages. As a reminder, the pages are limited to five. The records worksheet (most often used with livestock projects) are included in this count.
The records worksheet (most often used with livestock projects) are included in the five miscellaneous pages.
AHHHH! You all are SO CREATIVE! Just when I thought I had worked out everything … you guys have come up with this ingenious idea! Let’s just make this as easy and fair as possible – front and back are fine.
Yes, the “Guidelines for Assembling the Tennessee 4-H Project Achievement Portfolio” still exists. It can be found on the Website. Look at the top bar under “Resources”, click on “Recognition Handbook” and then “Portfolio”. Yes and No – regarding the currency of the information. Now, I understand that most of you are unable to access it because of the on-going issue between Microsoft and SharePoint. SO … here’s what I am doing … I have opened it up on my computer. I am making a quick run through on checks/changes. I will have Daniel Hinton upload a PDF version to the Website and will email you all the link. Watch for this to come to your inbox by Monday.
